Headlight-controlling device.



J. TORMA 6L J. F.. ORTH.

HEADLIGHT GONTROLLING DES/1GB.

, APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1911. 1,01 1,27, Y Patented Dec. 12,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. TORMA da J. I'. ORTH. HBADLIGHT OQNTROLLING DEVICE.

"I v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,. 1911. I 191%278', Patented Deo. 12,1911

v 2 SHEETS-SHEBT z.

Lomme;

narran s'rnrns ra'rnnfr carton.

JOSEPH TOBMA AND JOH/N/FRTH, 0F EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

' HEAiJLIGHncoNTRoLLING DEVICE.

" specification of Application led June 8,

Be it known that we, JOSEPH ToRMn and Jol-IN FORTH, citizens of the United States, residing at East Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny 'and StateA off/Pennsylvania,- have invented certain new and' useful Improvements Ain Headlight-Controlling De; vices, o'f which the following is a'specification.

This invention relates to headlight con trolling devices forautomobiles,` or -similar vehicles and aims to provide a device for this purpose which will be universal in its application and which 'will not necessitate alteration of any of the parts of the vehicle upon which it is mounted.

The invention aims further to provide'a head-light controlling device which may be rendered inoperative at 'any time desired so '"Zythat Aduring' the day, when the vehicle is in use, the head-light or lights will not be continuously shifted. This provides against unnecessary wear of the parts, and in this respect the invention presents advantages over similar devices heretofore proposed.

A further aim of the invention is to so construct the device that it will not be liable to become disarranged when the vehicle body is cushioned bythe supporting springs? For a full understanding of the invention reference is to4 be 'had to the following def scription' and accompanying drawing, in

which Figure 1 is a perspective view of -a portion of the front of an automobile showing the application of the invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away, illustrating the invention. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view partly in section, of the device. A

Corresponding and like parts are referred to Ain 'the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanyingr drawing by the same reference characters.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicate.` the forepart of one of the side beams of thc chassis frame of the automobile, 2 the front .,axle of the machine, 3 the steering knuckle,

and 4 the usual rod which connects the knuckles of the two front wheel hubs, which rod extends in rear of the. axle 2, and is shifted laterally to one side or the other in steering .the machine.

A. lamp support of the. ordinary form indicated by the numeral 5 is mounted upon the chassis beam 4 and fitted for turning Letters Patent. Patented DBG. 12, 1911.

1911. Serial No.' 632,043.

movement in the support is the stem G of a lamp supporting fork 7 which is of theI ordinary type except that itis provided with a rearwardly extending arm' 8.

The arms 8 of the two lamp supports are connected by means of a rod 9 so that the lamps will be shifted in unison. A. rockshaft 10 is mounted in a bearing' bracket 11 secured by means of a clip 12 upon the axle 2 and as a connection between this shaft and the stem of the lamp support there is pro-- vided a connecting rod consisting 'of two telescopio members, one indicated by the *numeral 13 .and the other by the numeral V14,the member 13 being preferably rectangular in cross-section and fitting in the Fmember 14. The member 14 has a universal joint connection at 15 with the upper end of the rock-shaft 10 and the member 13 has a universal joint connectionl as at 16 with the lower end of the stem 6 of thc lamp support. At this point it will be readily understood that when the shaft 10 is rocked in either direction, corresponding turning movement will be imparted to the lamp su port 6, thus for example, if the shaft 10 is turned to the right, the lamp support and the lamp mounted thereon, will be rrespondingly turned.

An arm 17- is connected at one end, for free turning movement with the lower end of the rock-shaft 10 and projects rearwardly beneath thc-axle 2, and has pivot-ed to it at one end a link 1S, the other end of this link being pivotally connected to a bracket 19having a clip 2O which' is clamped about. the conncctingrod 4 extending between the steering knuckles of the steering gear. 1t

will be readily understood from the above that when the rod l4 is shifted, for example, to .the left, for the purpose of steering thel` machine toward the right, the arm 17 will have its rear end swung also to the left, and should the arm be clutched with the rock-shaft 10 in a manner tobe presently explained, the shaft will be correspondingly turned and the lamp supports will be turned in a direction to direct the rays of light in the line of travel of the machine.

v Asstated, the arm 1 7 is free to swingindependently of the rock-shaft 10, but when the device is in actual use, the arm is to be. clutched 4with the shaft so that operation of the vsteering gear would serve. to impart movement to the lamp support,and the lao means provided fr connecting the arm and shaft will now be described. A small barrel 21 1s removably fitted to that end of the arm `17 which is connected with the lower end of milled head 26 which may be grasped for the Ypurpose of retracting the pin and also for 'ment, a rock-shaft, connection the purpose of rotating it apart of a turn. A collar 27 fixed upon the pin 22 carries a stud 2S which is designed to engage against the outer end of the barrel 21 when the pin 1s retracted and rotated a slight degree in one direction or the other. The engagement of this stud 28;,against the end of the barrel serves to hold the pin in retracted position and with vits inner end outof engagement with the socket in the rock-shaft.'

When the pin is retracted, the arm is freel to swing without actuating the shaft 10, but when the pin is engaged at its free-end in the socket in the shaft, theshaft is held from movement with the arm and the lamp 'supports are at such time automatically 'controlled by the movement of the rod 4 of the steering gear.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is l1. In a head-light controlling device, a lamp support mounted for turning movebetween the rock-shaft and lamp support arranged to turn the latter when the shaft is rocked, a clip arranged for attachment to an element .of the steering gear of a vehicle, an arm mounted for free swinging movement upon the rock-shaft, a link connecting the arm and clip, and a latch carried by the arm and ,engageable with the shaft tovhold the shaft for movement with the arm.

2. In a head-light controlling devicega lamp support mounted for turning movement', a. rock-shaft, connection between the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressng'the ,{Cmmissioner of Patents,V

' Washington, 2D. C. f i

rock-shaft and lamp support; arranged to' .by the arm, a

ment, the pinconnecting the shaft for move- 1L turn the latter when the shaft is rocked, a clip arranged for attachment to an element of the steering gear of a vehicle, an arm mounted for 'free swinging movement 'upon the rock-shaft, a link connecting the arm and clip, `the shaft beingformed with a socket, and a spring-pressed pin-latch carried by the arm, and engageable inthe socket to hold the shaft for movement with the arm. y

3. In a head-light controlling device, a lamp support mounted for turning movement, a, rock-shaft, connection between the shaft' and support comprising telescoping sections having universal joint connection, one with thew shaft and the other with the support, and means, connected with the shaft and arranged for connection with an, element of the steering gear of a vehicle to hold the shaft for control by the movement of said element- I 4. In a head-light controlling device, a lamp support mounted for turning movement, a rock-shaft, connection between the rock-shaftand lamp support arranged to turn the,latter when the former is rocked, an arm upon the rockshaft for free swingingmovement, a member connected with the and arranged for attachment to an element of the steering gear of a vehicle, the shaft being formed witha socket, a barrel carried latch-pin mounted in the barrel and engagea-ble in the socket,.a spring normally holding the pin in such engage` ment with the arm, and a stop uponA the pin arranged to engagewith one end of the barrel when the pin is retracted and turned, whereby to hold the pin out of such engagement in the societ.- I

In testimony' whereof, we tures in presence'iof two witnesses.

JosErH TORMA.v [ne] f' 'W'itnesses i \VALTER J. YENNY, WM. G. PANNIER.

JOHN F, oRTH. p [aa] f arm?" atlix our signa- 

